Chuvash language - Definition


Chuvash language - Definition

Chuvash [CHOO-vahsh] (Чӑваш чӗлхи, also known as Chuwash, Chovash, Chavash or �uaş) is a Turkic language spoken west of the Urals in central Russia. Chuvash is the native language of the Chuvash people and an official language of Chuvashia. It is spoken by about two million people.

The Chuvash alphabet uses the Cyrillic script, plus four extra letters: Ӑӑ, Ӗӗ, Ҫҫ, Ӳӳ.

Modern Chuvash Alphabet

А Ӑ Б В Г Д Е Ё Ӗ Ж З И Й К Л М Н О П Р С Ҫ Т У Ӳ Ф Х Ц Ч Ш Щ Ъ Ы Ь Э Ю Я
а ӑ б в г д е ё ӗ ж з и й к л м н о п р с ҫ т у ӳ ф х ц ч ш щ ъ ы ь э ю я

There are two dialects of Chuvash: Viryal or Upper (pronouncing an o, as in хола = town) and Anatri or Lower (pronouncing a u, as in хула = town). The literary language is based on the Lower dialect. Both Tatar and Finnic languages have influenced the Chuvash language, and there are Russian, Mari, Arab and Persian words in its lexicon.

The most ancient writing system was Runic, which disappeared after the Volga Bulgars converted to Islam. Later, Arabic was used. After the Mongol invasion, writing disappeared. The modern alphabet was created in 1873 by I. Ya. Yakovlev. In 1938, the alphabet underwent a significant modification to its current form.

Modern Chuvash Alphabet

See also